Project Standards

Question. What are the Project standards?
Answer.
To ensure that quality is maintained throughout the project and to manage effectively all the documentation created throughout the project, configuration management is vitally important.
Configuration management controls tracks all documents and ensures the correctly authorized documents are being worked with.

This can be summarized as:
Version control

The convention of document version control is vital to maintain efficiency, and is incorporated within the document naming convention as below, it follows the following methodology:

First draft version     V0.1
Second draft version     V0.2

Signed off/definitive version     1.0
Revised draft caused by change to the project after first sign-off      V1.1
Revised definitive version     V2.0

For ease of location, it is suggested that all previous versions of documents are filled in a sub-folder within the relevant folder, entitled ‘previous version’ with the definitive version kept in the main folder.

By following the process of version control, a Project team member and anyone who understands the methodology, will always know the latest document and the definitive version.
This is important in change control and prevents scope creep as it allows the Project Manager to review to review the original agreed requirements against what is actually occurring.

Filing
It is critical that a proper project file is created and that all documents associated with the projects are correctly filed.

It is recommended that the project file is always electronic.
It can be located in a project team Site on Sharepoint or on a shared directory.
If storing your file in a shared directory, a sample structure is provided:

Project Initiation:

• Project Mandate
• Research & Analysis
• Business Case
• Tender process.

Project Managements:

• Project definition
• Functional requirements
• Gantt chart
• Project plan
• Organisational structure
• Contact list
• Sign off
• Work package

Business & Operations:

• Processes
• Training
• Reporting
• Finance
• Registry
• Library
• Personnel
• Faculties

Testing:

• Test Plan
• Test Results

IT:

• Infrastructure
• Application
• Technical

Specifications:

• Risk Issues and Change
• Issue log
• Change log
• Change Requests

Costs:

• Budget
• Actual
• Cost Approvals
• Purchase orders
• Quotes

Status and Notes:

• Agenda
• Minutes
• Reports

Closure:

• Post project review
• User training guides
• Operations documentation

Project Conflicts:
Disagreements arise in most systems projects. Lack of clearly defined objectives and standards for acceptable performance are major causes of disagreement. A project leader should be sure to have definitions in writing before undertaking the project.

The project manager is responsible for settling disputes that arise within the scope of the project. This is usually done by calling together all concerned parties so that the disputes can be resolved. When the parties cannot reach agreement, the project manager will have the final say in the matter.
Implied in this procedure is that all the parties are aware of what authority the project leader and project manager had. Too often, this may be vague. In general, however, the project manager must have the backing of whoever originally requested the project. When top management is the requester, the authority of the project leader is rarely questioned. When the project has been requested by a specific department, branch, or individuals representing areas of equal or greater status than the project leader, substantial challenges to the project leader’s authority may occur. An irony regarding systems projects is that large projects are usually more successful than smaller ones because the request comes from top people up in the corporate structure.